Why can't Jehovah's Witnesses associate with ex members?

Answer 1

Other answers from our community

First, we need to qualify what is meant by ex-members. Someone who has simply stopped attending meetings, or has become what we call "inactive" that is, they have stopped engaging in activities associated with being one of JW's would not necessarily be avoided by JW's. We do not shun such a person intentionally, in fact, most often the congregation elders will visit this person to try to encourage them as much as possible. Their faith may have gotten weak, or maybe they are going through difficulties that may be preventing them from a full share in congregational activities. Even though they are not considered "active," and they would not be counted among our numbers in monthly congregation reports, they are not considered to be EX-members. The ones that are to be avoided by congregation members are those who are spoken of in 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, where it says,"But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do YOU not judge those inside, while God judges those outside? "Remove the wicked [man] from among yourselves." In certain cases, there are those who are unrepentantly engaging in gross sin, such as fornication, adultery, drunkenness, criminal activity, etc. These who are not willing to repent and turn back from their course would be removed as a "brother" or "sister" in the congregation, and in accord with the scriptures, the congregation members would not associate with that one. This is called "disfellowshipping." It serves a two-fold purpose: One, to protect the congregation from possible harmful influences, and two, to possibly bring the erring one back to their senses. The disfellowshipping act by the congregation does not have to be permanent. It depends on whether the individual is willing to repent from their former course, and stop engaging in the unscriptural activity. If so, they can notify the congregation elders that they have changed their course and wish to be reinstated to the congregation. One who has been reinstated will be welcomed back by the congregation members. This one would no longer be avoided by JW's. Answer There's another group who are ostracized even though they have committed no serious biblical "sin". Once baptized, without committing any unscriptural acts as defined by the elders they are in fact still considered in "good standing", if they choose to remove themselves from the witnesses by writing a letter asking not to be identified as witnesses, these individuals although not engaged in any unscriptural conduct while members do not return to their previous status as "worldly" as the rest of the people are viewed but now (one can presume because of their inside knowledge) are shunned as highly dangerous to the sheep and referred to in public talks as "dogs returning to their vomit" and worse than those who are disfellowshipped because they willingly chose to remove themselves from the congregation. They may even refer to these ones as apostates without proof or substance. The fear is that while people at the door usually don't have a good grasp of the scriptures to debate a witness presumably they who have knowledge might be able to convince others to their side so they are labelled and banned from all contact even though the reality is that most have no interest in further biblical discussion with them. There is no biblical reason for this designation or taking an unchristian attitude and not being civil to these old acquaintances, in fact the turning of the back, the twisting of the head and the weird facial expressions belie the message that they preach and frankly make the witnesses who follow this practise look ridiculous.

Answer 2

If the ex-member has been disfellowshipped, or expelled from their congregation for unrepentant or repeated wrongdoing, than it is based on the scripture at 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 - "In my letter I wrote you to stop keeping company with sexually immoral people, not meaning entirely with the sexually immoral people of this world or the greedy people or extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world. But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside, while God judges those outside? Remove the wicked person from among yourselves."

Disfellowshipping for Jehovah's Witnesses is not meant to be a permanent sanction. The ideal situation is to help the wrongdoer repent, and make his way back to being reinstated into their congregation. If the person never makes an attempt to come back though (by abstaining from the bad conduct and attending congregation meetings), the status of being disfellowshipped is not removed.

It is considered to be a Godly form of discipline and also a protection for the congregation against what they would consider negative influences.

Answer 3

Disfellowshipment is the ultimate sanction for those whose behaviour or attitude is considered unacceptable. Once a member is disfellowshipped, he or she must be shunned by all other members. Disfellowshipped members are free to attend Kingdom Hall meetings, but even then they are shunned by the congregation.

As far as the Governing Body is concerned, there is no difference between those who leave voluntarily and those who are disfellowshipped.